A Ladder To Hell
by FictionBelle
Summary: For lack of a better summary: this a collection of Laddershipping - aka Thief Bakura or Yami Bakrua x Zorc - oneshots, for my friend Kurashiana Princess of Shadow. Even if you don't like or know the pairing very well, I invite you to give it a try and see what you think. Rated T for violence and dark themes.


**Roxy: Alright, this is the first oneshot, but let me just start off by saying that I'm not so proud of it. It's really more of a prologue, not that great of a stand alone one shot...**

 **Akefia: Just get to it.**

 **Roxy: :P Someone's pushy. Anyway, this one shot is my version of how Akefia met Zorc. But before we start, let me say a few things. First of all, Akefia's name starts off as Akef in this one. I know this seems confusing at first but please bear with it; the whole name changing thing makes sense later.  
**

 **Second of all, if you don't know about Akefia - aka Thief King Bakura - and his backstory, a lot of one shots I'll post here will confuse you, since they revolve around him and his revenge, what happened in the past, etc.  
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 **Oh, and one more thing, this story is dedicated to a new awesome friend of mine named Kurashiana Princess of Shadow who LOVES Laddershipping, so this is for her. Go read her stuff! I promise you won't be disappointed!  
**

 **Akefia: Stop advertising and move it.**

 **Roxy: ...Anyway, Marik, since you'll be in the story in the future, mind doing the disclaimer?**

 **Marik: Yes, I do mind, but I'll do it anyway. Blue doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, although she really wishes she did. That good enough?**

 **Roxy: Yeah, thanks. Sorry for the long author's note, I get off track easily, even when I type. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Mama, papa..."

A fragile, childish voice wailed, a stark contrast to the sound of hissing flames and cries of victory around him.

The little boy, only 9 years of age, knew something horrible had happened to his parents. He could smell the stench of death, he could hear his mother's cries as she begged the soldiers to spare her and her family -

More tears dripped down soft tan cheeks.

The desert was cold, little Akef found, when he finally made his way away from the burning pile of ash that used to be his home, his family, his friends, his life.

He clutched the long, leather rope necklace his mother had gifted him with, not noticing how his tears soaked the leather and how his mother had scolded him once for getting it wet. But she was gone. He would never hear her voice again.

"Mama!" Akef screamed, squeezing the leather tighter, tears now gushing out of his eyes like the beautiful oasis waterfall he'd visited with his mother and father on so many occasions.

"Do you hear that?"

The gray-eyed boy froze. Soldiers. The Pharaoh's soldiers. The soldiers who had killed his family.

"Sounds like a survivor."

The little body trembled as Akef wrapped his small arms around himself, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Shall we search for him?"

Gray eyes snapped open. _No... no, please! Leave me alone! Mama! Help me! Don't let them hurt me!_

There was a pause. "...I don't know, Hema. Did that voice not sound like a child to you?"

"You slaughtered other children, yet you want to spare this one?"

Akef's innocent orbs widened, full of pain that should never be present in one so young's eyes. He thought of all the fun times he'd spent with his friends, only to find out they'd been killed and burned, just like his mother had.

"What would the Pharaoh think, Izai?"

Izai - the crueler one of the pair, Akef had decided - made a scoffing noise. "He was the one who ordered us to destroy this place. Do you think one small child matters to him?"

"T...The Pharaoh? H-He was the one who ordered for Mama to die...?" Akef whispered, pulling his shaking knees closer to his chest as tears of anger and betrayal filled his eyes. "How could he! I thought, I thought he stood for justice, and hope, and truth and peace and -"

"The Pharaoh stands for none of those things, boy," a dark voice hissed suddenly, prompting a muffled squeal of surprise from Akef, who immediately stood up to face this newcomer. The Pharaoh's guards seemed to have left, therefore all of Akef's attention was now on this strange voice.

"W-What's your name?" He asked timidly, unsure of what else to ask the strange being. The voice rumbled with cold laughter.

"I have many, little one, but _you_ will be calling me Master," the voice replied bluntly. Akef's eyes widened and he took several steps back, suddenly unnerved.

"M-Master?"

"Yes, master, for you will be my servant," the voice laughed mirthlessly. "You may call me Zorc. Understood?"

Akef nodded, too scared and confused to do anything else. "... uh, M-Master Zorc... what do you look like? I can only hear your voice..."

Zorc was momentarily surprised the boy dared ask him such a question, but quickly pushed past it.

"I've made an interesting choice in finding my servant, I see," He said, pleased. "One moment, you appear to fear me, and the other moment, you ask me what my true form is. How interesting. But, in answer to your question child..."

A blinding white light erupted out of nowhere. Akef quickly shut his eyes, shying away from the painful light, until he heard Zorc's voice again:

"Open your eyes, young Akef."

Akef hesitated, confused as to how this strange being knew his name, but then quickly opened his eyes, afraid of what would happen to him if he didn't.

He immediately regretted it.

Zorc was, in one word, terrifying.

Narrowed red eyes glowed murderously, while the rest of of him reminded Akef greatly of the huge dragons he'd seen once in a battle between the Pharaoh and another enemy country, known as Ka, except Zorc looked far more menacing and deadly, with huge wings and teeth the size of Akef's entire body.

"Well? What do you think?" Zorc's rumbling voice interrupted Akef's horrified thoughts, sadistic grin never leaving his face. Akef simply stood, knees knocking and teeth chattering, tears suddenly filling his gray eyes.

"P-Please... don't hurt me!" The 9 year old begged, falling to his knees. "I'll do anything, anything! Just please, don't kill me!"

Zorc scoffed, annoyed that the boy was suddenly so terrified of him. It wasn't that he shouldn't be, no, everyone should fear him - but the child's whining was becoming constant and annoying, compared to the previous bravado he'd shown earlier. Did the boy think he was Anubis, for Ra's sake?

But, despite his annoyance, Zorc became curious. Why did the boy have such will to live, despite what had happened to his village? "And why, pray tell, should I not?"

"B-Because!" Sudden determination filled Akef's voice, despite the fact that it still shook due to his tears. "I _have_ to live!"

Well, _that_ certainly wasn't the answer Zorc had expected. "Mmm? And why is that?" His tone held some amusement, hinting that he was merely toying with the boy in front of him, but Akef was too scared and too caught in the moment to notice.

"I-I, I have to avenge Mama and Papa!" Akef answered, clenching his fists. "The Pharaoh, he, he killed them, and the rest of my village! And I can't rest until I've avenged every single one of their lives!"

The fear had vanished from Akef's voice, replaced by pure anger, hate, and anguish. For a boy of such a young age, Zorc had never seen one so hateful.

And it pleased him. Greatly.

The more hateful, vengeful a person, the easier they were to manipulate, to take and use in his plans.

"Alright, boy. Let's make a deal."

Akef looked up from the golden moon-kissed sand, his own gray eyes touching Zorc's fiery ones. "What kinda deal?" He asked hesitantly.

"Like I said before. Become my servant," Zorc answered. Akef blinked, shrugging.

"It's not like I have anyone else to go to, but..." The boy looked over his shoulder at the ashes that once held his home, clenching his fists. "But I have to avenge my village, and I..." He took a deep, shaky breath. "...I think being someone else's slave might get in the way of that."

Zorc grinned. This was just what he had wanted the boy to say. "Oh, I see. Are you refusing me, boy?"

"I-I don't mean to anger you, Master Zorc, b-but avenging my parents is what I want to devote my life to, not..." Akef trailed off, fearful what Zorc would say if he finished his sentence.

"Hmm, I see," Zorc chuckled, smirking when Akef jumped at his sudden laughter. "And if I were to offer you help... what would you say then, mmm?"

Akef's jaw dropped. "You... you'd help _me?"_

"Of course. You see..." Zorc took a few steps closer to the awed boy in front of him. "...I too, hate the Pharaoh, and have a goal similar to yours."

"You want to avenge someone you cared about?" Akef tilted his head to the side. He couldn't imagine a deity as dark as this one caring about someone.

"Of course not, you fool," Zorc grunted indignantly. "I cared about no one, nor will I ever. This quest is for me, myself, and I, no one else. However, I do wish to see the Pharaoh and the rest of his pathetic court perish, as do you, I'm sure?"

"W-Well..." Akef twiddled his thumbs, choosing his words carefully. "I... I don't know if I want to _kill_ them, I mean, I'm not sure if I could -"

"I can train you, boy. Train you until you become stronger than an entire nation's army," Zorc said, grin widening by the second. He could feel the child's heart become flooded with the desire to kill, to murder, to plunder.

"Really?" Akef gasped, eyes lighting up at the thought. "I could become that strong?"

"Stronger," Zorc corrected. He smirked. "But only if you side with me. If you do not, you'll be nothing but a weak, emotional child whom slave traders and bandits will take advantage of. Do you want that, my dear young thief?"

"I..." A flashback of his mother, cut down right in front of his eyes flashed before him, and Akef felt bitter tears begin to well up. _If I side with this Zorc, then I can avenge her... I can show the Pharaoh what it feels like to lose something! I'll become the King of Thieves, stealing from his precious tombs and everything else he cares about! I'll show him what pain feels like! True pain! Maybe then, he'll regret what he's done..._

"But even if he does, it won't matter... it won't bring Mama and Papa back," Akef whispered aloud, small fist tightening around the leather cord that hung around his neck. He looked up at Zorc, a fire burning in his eyes. "I'll be your servant... if you'll be my master."

Zorc grinned. This was why he had chosen Akef; the boy already wanted revenge. He didn't need the seed of hatred planted in him, like others would. "Of course, young light. But before we begin your... training, we must first change your name."

"My name?" Akef blinked, frowning slightly. "Why, Master?"

"It is of your past, boy. As of now, you're becoming a man. Such a childish name should be forgotten." Zorc eyed Akef, waiting for the boy to protest, but he only sat there quietly and slowly nodded his head. "Good, glad to see that you agree with your master. As I was saying, your new name shall be Akefia. Do you like it?"

Akef - now named Akefia - blinked, surprised Zorc actually asked him such a question, but quickly answered, "I do, Master. Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, boy," Zorc snorted, rolling his eyes. "Are you ready to begin your training, my Akefia?"

Akefia nodded his head sharply.

"Good. Then let us begin."

* * *

 **Roxy: It's horrible, I know...it went everywhere, made no sense, blah blah blah. I guess I was just trying to show the beginnings of their relationship, but heck, I failed doing something as simple as that!  
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 **Ryou: I don't think it was that bad... *smiles***

 **Roxy: *sigh* Thanks Ry. We'll see what the reviewers think. Normally I'd say if I didn't get more than 2 or more reviews for a story I don't continue it, but this story is a special exception because it's for Kurashiana. Thank you guys for checking out my story - hope to see you next time! But seriously, please, pleeeasseee review. I promise I'll reply! *puppy dog eyes*  
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